The Perfect Gift
by Smenzer
Summary: Luke Skywalker searches for the perfect Father's Day gift to give Darth Vader. A light, warm-hearted story. COMPLETE.


Title: The Perfect Gift

Author: Smenzer

Email: None

Rating: PG

Archive: Yes, please. If you want to put this on a web page please let me know.

Teaser: Luke searches for the perfect Father Day's gift for Darth Vader

Disclaimer: The characters are not mine. They belong to George Lucas and Fox. This is just for fun.

Luke Skywalker and Hero of the Rebellion stepped into one of the many stores on the current planet he was visiting. The war was still on against the Empire but for the moment he had a few hours for himself. His good buddy Han had parked the Falcon in a nearby hangar and like usual was attempting repairs. It always seemed as if something on the ship was breaking, normally while they were being chased by half of the Imperial star fleet. The young man, dressed in a somber black outfit with his lightsaber clipped to his belt, ran a nervous hand through his hair. He had told Han and Leia he just wanted to stretch his legs a little and do some sightseeing. But the truth was that he hadn't felt comfortable telling them the truth.

"How do you tell someone you're shopping for a Father's Day gift for Darth Vader?" Luke mumbled to himself as he moved to the first display within the store. The problem was Vader was supposed to be their enemy. Leia hated the man with a strong passion and Han, well; he certainly didn't have warm feelings for the Sith Lord. Luke had thought he had hated him, too, but now he wasn't too sure. He had always wanted a father and now he had one. And it was clear from the man's behavior on Bespin that he wanted a son as well. But they had gotten off on the wrong foot and now Luke decided that he'd try to patch things up somehow between them. Since Father's Day was coming up, he had decided to get the man a present. But that presented a new problem: what did you get a Sith Lord?

Luke gazed at the first display in utter shock. It was a rack of bright pink neckties with large yellow circles all over them. The young man tried to picture the dour Sith Lord wearing such a necktie and a smile came to his face. Vader would look absolutely ridiculous! The bright neon colors would stand out against the black armor he wore. And if any of his crew snickered he'd no doubt kill them. No, these neckties were not for him. Wiping tears from his blue eyes, Luke moved to the next display.

Brightly colored Hawaiian shirts hung from racks. The shirts featured palm trees, surfboards, and rainbow colored parrots, hula girls, grass huts, tropical fish and giant tropical flowers. The colors were so intense they made his eyes ache from the intensity. Although Luke enjoyed some of the individual features of the shirts, like the quite beauty of a swaying palm tree next to the ocean, the shirts were just too loud for him. Nor could he imagine his father wearing a tropical shirt. The shirt would clash with his black breath mask. Shaking his head, Luke moved to the next display.

Here he found bottles of shaving cream and the young Jedi paused, considering. Did Darth Vader shave under that mask? Sadly, he realized he had no idea if the man even had hair. Feeling slightly depressed, he moved on once again.

The fourth display held cute, soft and cuddly stuffed ewok dolls. Luke closed his eyes and tried to imagine the Sith Lord holding such a doll and realized he couldn't. No, his Father wouldn't want a soft toy, as he was a vicious man that went around Force-choking people. If someone gave him such a doll he'd probably tear its head off. Glumly, head hanging low, Luke moved on yet again.

The fifth display held models of Star Destroyers and Luke paused, thinking. Then he realized that Vader had all the real Star Destroyers that he could ever want. Why, he was in charge of the entire fleet! Bluer than ever, Luke trudged out of the store with his chin almost on his chest. "I'll never find a gift for Father! What do you give the guy that has everything? I'm just a farm boy from a backwater planet. I don't know what to get a Sith Lord!"

It was impossible!

Depressed, Luke slowly started to head back towards the docking bay where the Falcon waited. Then a sign in a store window caught his eye. The young man smiled brightly; hope lighting up his blue eyes. Now he knew exactly what he was going to give Vader!

Time passed and Father's Day finally arrived. Darth Vader stood on the bridge of Executor as he watched the crew busy at work. He knew it was Father's Day and felt slightly blue as he now had a son and the boy had rejected him. Ever since he had woken up this morning the boy had been in his thoughts and he wondered idly where he might be.

"Lord Vader!" Admiral Piett said as he approached the tall man. "A package has arrived for you!"

"A package?" Vader asked, surprise clear in his voice. Who in this day sent packages? It was unheard of. "Who is the package from?"

"Skywalker, My Lord!" Piett answered immediately. "What shall I do with it?"

"Put it in my quarters." Vader replied. "I will see to it at once."

Darth Vader left the bridge and found a big box sitting in his private quarters. And just as Piett had said, the name of his son was on the package. A warm feeling filled Vader's heart as he gazed at the box. "So, Luke has accepted that I'm his father and has sent me a Father's Day gift."

Without further ado, Vader tore open the top with the strength of his mechanical arm. To his utter surprise, Luke leaped out and wrapped his arms around Vader's neck!

"Happy Father's Day, Father!" Luke said.

Inside the mask, Vader's eyes were wet with tears and he blinked them away. "How did you know what I wanted?"

"At first I didn't know what to get you," Luke admitted. "But then I saw a sign that simply said 'Spend Father's Day with the one you love' and then I knew!"

THE END


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